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If teams like Steaua or CFR do their best in Europe to make the Romanian league more credible and attractive for those reluctant to look this way, those who run the game always find a way to destroy all these efforts. In a grim period, with important clubs and cities forced to abandon the top flight mainly for financial reasons, the main topic is how Liga 1 will look next term. We had four teams relegated, while two others, Rapid and Universitatea Cluj, failed to get the license. It might like we’re down to 16 from 18, but it’s not that simple, not in this part of the world.

Sandu (left) and Dragomir (right) are in no rush. They surely aren’t going anywhere…

Universitatea made an appeal in Lausanne and might overturn the decision, avoiding relegation, becoming the 17th eligible club. So, two scenarios are on the table: reducing the league to 16 teams, in case Cluj won’t make it, or finding a way to keep the current format. Of course, time doesn’t seem an ally at this point, with less than a month before the kick-off of the new season, but a recent gathering of those running the so called Professional League (LPF) and the Romanian Federation (FRF) stated the contrary. The leaders of the two organizations ended up arguing and came to no conclusion at the meeting held earlier this month. Instead of organizing the league, they ended up re-scheduling the whole thing. The date: 6th of July. To be more precise: two weeks before the first official matches of the new season. It’s not too late, as you might think. Here’s the president of the Federation, Mircea Sandu: “There’s plenty of time. I advise all the clubs in doubt about the league they’ll be playing next season to be prepared for everything.” Indeed, they should: one or two of the four relegated clubs could be granted the right to stay in Liga 1. If there’ll be need for just one, a playout could take place. Again, don’t worry about the lack of time, there’s plenty: “We could even arrange it on the 20th, when the league starts”. Yes, that was still Sandu, also known as The Godfather, making another small joke. Put all those together and you’ll have the picture of what has become Romanian footie under his and Dragomir’s (nicknamed Corleone) reign: one big, bad joke…

Radu Baicu

• 15 years of continuous work in scouting, for top clubs and companies;
• Worked for clubs like Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Hannover 96, covering the Romanian market;
• Worked for Birmingham based company ‘The Scouting Network’ (www.tsn.co.uk) as a football scout;
• Worked for Zurich based company Boutique Football as a scouting network coordinator;
• International scout for Young Boys Bern for 2 years, covering Eastern European football.
• Working for the past 5 years as an international scout for a top French club.